Methods of operating the related art combustion devices, etc. during the occurrence of abnormalities are disclosed in JP-A-7-294001, etc. The entire disclosure of JP-A-7-294001is incorporated (referenced) herein by reference.
FIG. 5 illustrates the configuration of a hot water supplier (JP-A-7-294001) as related art example 1. In FIG. 5, the hot water supplier is provided with detectors 6, 7 provided in a water circuit of controlling a heater 5. An operator 8 switches the operation of the heater 5 ON/Off and predetermines the temperature of hot water to be supplied from a hot water port 2. A controller 9 controls the generated amount of heat and provides starting/suspension of the heater 5 on the basis of data from the detectors 6, 7 and-predetermination by the controller 8. A sub-controller 14 controls the heater 5 by a predetermined amount of control regardless of data from the detectors 6, 7 and predetermination by the controller 8. A manually-operated selector 15 selects either the controller 9 or the sub-controller 14. An abnormality controller 13 switches the operation of the heater 5 OFF in preference to the controller 9 when data from the detector 6 deviates from a predetermined range. An unsafety detector 10 provides, separate and independent of the detector 6,detection of unsafe states such as abnormal temperature rise A protector 12 unconditionally suspends operation of the heater 5 in preference to all the controllers on the basis of a signal from the unsafety detector 10 and is arranged such that when the abnormality controller 13 operates to switch the operation of the heater 5 OFF, the operation of the selector 15 allows manual switching of control over the heater 5 from the controller 9 to the sub-controller 14.
FIG. 6 indicates the configuration of an electricity generation system using a fuel cell as related art example 2. In FIG. 6, the reference numeral 21 indicates a fuel cell, and a fuel gas supplying unit 22 performs water vapor modification of a raw material such as natural gas to produce a gas mainly composed of hydrogen which is then supplied into the fuel cell 21. The fuel gas supplying unit 22 is provided with a modifier 23 of producing a modified gas and a carbon monoxide transformer 24 of allowing the reaction of carbon monoxide contained in the modified gas with water to produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen. In a fuel side humidifier 25, a fuel gas to be supplied into the fuel cell 21 is humidified. The reference numeral 26 indicates an air supplier which supplies air as an oxidizer into the fuel cell 21. During this procedure, air to be supplied is humidified in an oxidizing side humidifier 27. There are further provided a cooling pipe 28 of feeding water to the fuel cell 21 to cool the fuel cell 21 and a pump 29 of circulating water in the cooling pipe.
Further, connection is arranged such that waste heat generated by the electricity generation by the fuel cell 21 is collected by a heat exchanger 30 and a circulating pump 31 into a hot water storage tank 33 via a waste heat collecting pipe 32.
Moreover, during the starting of operation, in order to reduce the starting time of the fuel cell 21, the time required until a temperature range suitable for modification reaction or transformation reaction is reached in a fuel processor 22 is reduced using a heater and a temperature detector (not shown) incorporated in the modifier 23 or the carbon monoxide transformer 24. Also in the path of the cooling pipe 28, the time required until a temperature range suitable for electricity generation reaction is reached is similarly reduced using a heater of heating cooling water or a temperature detector (not shown).
The hot water supplier according to the aforementioned related art example 1(FIG. 5) is arranged such that when any trouble on the detector causes the hot water supplier to be suspended, the manufacturer or distributor confirms safety and operates the selector to switch control over the heater from the controller to the sub-controller so that the heater is forced to operate by a predetermined amount regardless of troubles in the detector. Thus, since trouble in the detector of detecting control data are targeted as abnormalities. The range of abnormalities that can be coped with is limited. Further, the aforementioned example is arranged such that the selector is manually operated to switch the control over the heater to the sub-controller on the assumption that the switching operation shall be attended by the manufacturer or distributor upon the occurrence of abnormalities, making it impossible to quickly cope with troubles having insignificant contents of abnormality by a simple method.
Further, the fuel cell electricity generating system according to the aforementioned related art example 2 (FIG. 6) is disadvantageous in that when the modifier 23 of reducing the starting time of the fuel cell 21 or the heat incorporated in the carbon monoxide transformer 24 undergoes troubles or abnormalities, the fuel cell electricity generating system cannot but wait for repair after emergency suspension.
Further, the fuel cell electricity generating system according to the aforementioned related art example 2(FIG. 6) is disadvantageous in that when the heater for heating cooling water in the path of the cooling pipe 28 for reducing the starting time of the fuel cell 21 undergoes troubles or abnormalities, the fuel cell electricity generating system cannot but wait for repair after emergency suspension.
Further, the fuel cell electricity generating system according to the aforementioned related art example 2(FIG. 6) is disadvantageous in that when the temperature detector of the fuel cell 21, etc. undergo troubles or abnormalities, the fuel cell electricity generating system cannot but wait for repair after emergency suspension.